U.K. MINISTER OF WAR RESIGNS FROM HOUSE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30151, 7 June 1963, Page 11

U.K. MINISTER OF WAR RESIGNS FROM HOUSE

Major Scandal Over Profumo’s Admissions

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

LONDON, June 6.

1 he resignation last night of the War Minister, Mr John Profumo, over his friendship with a glamorous model, has rocked Britain. London newspapers today viewed it as a major political scandal. Some papers said there had been nothing in British political history to match exactly Mr Profumo’s sensational confession that he had lied to the House of Commons and misled the Prime Minister, Mr Macmillan. x

Mr Profumo’s selfstyled “grave misdemeanour” in denying to Parliament there was any impropriety about his relationship with the red-headed model, Miss Christine Keeler, was criticised in varying degrees. But many newspapers had a word of sympathy for Mr Profumo’s wife—the former film star, Hobson, who, according to his statement last night, was among those “misled” by his original denial in Parliament.

In hi« letter of resignation to Mr Macmillan Mr Prof"mo. who is 48. admitted that on March 22 he told the House of Commons a lie to protect his wife and family In his statement ait that time. Mr Profumo denied improper relations with Miss Keeler, who had been in the headlines as a missing witness' in the London trial of a Wes’ Indian accused of firing shots at the door of a fiat she w’as occupying. She went to Spain, where she was later found. Mr Profumo’s letter to Mr Macmillan. released last zught said: “Dear Prime Minister, “You will recollect that on March 22. following certain allegations made in Parliament. I made a personal statement.

“At that time a rumour had charged me with assisting in the disappearance of a witness and with being involved in some possible breach of security. So serious were these charges that I allowed myself to think that my personal associations with that witness, which had also been the subject of rumour, was by comparison of minor importance only “In my statement 1 said that there had been no impropriety in this association. To my very deep regret I have to admit that this was not true and that I misled you and my colleagues, and the House.

“I ask you to understand that I did this to protect, as I thought, my wife and family, who were equally misled, as were my professional advisers.

“I have come to realise that, by this deception I have been guilty of a grave misdemeanour, and in spite of the fact that there is no truth whatever in the other charges. I cannot remain a member of your administration, nor of the House of Commons. “I cannot tel] you of my deep remorse for the embarrassment I have caused you. to my colleagues in the Government. to my constituents, and to the party which I have served for the last 25 years. “Yours sincerely, JACK PROFUMO” Mr Macmillan, replying

from his holiday address in Argyllshire, Scotland, said:

“Dear Profumo, “The contents of your letter of June 4 have been communicated to me, and I have heard them with deep regrets. This is a great tragedy for you, your family and your friends “Nevertheless I am sure you will understand that, in the circumstances, I have no alternative but to advise the Queen to accept your resignation. “Yours verv sincerely, HAROLD MACMILLAN ” Mr and Mrs Profumo left London by car yesterday morning with overnight cases In his statement to the House of Commons last March, Mr Profumo said he had firs! met Christine Keeler at s house partv Other

guests were Dr. Stephen Ward, a London society osteopath, and a Captain Ivanov, who was recalled to Russia last December from his post of assistant naval attache at the Soviet Embassy Mr Profumos letter of resignation denied that he had been involved “in some possible breach of security.” After the House of Commons statement. Dr. Ward Wrote to the Home Secretary (Mr Brooke) and also had an interview with the Prime Minister’s private secretary. It was learned last night in political circles that the osteopath alleged Mr Profumo’s statement in the House of Commons was untrue in certain respects. Confronted with Dr. Ward’s allegations. Mr Profumo told the Conservative Chief Whip loarty manager) and the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary that he had not told the truth about his association with Christine Keeler “Lamentable Document”

In an editorial today. “The Times” said: “There can b» few more lamentable documents in British political history than Mr Profumo’s letter of resignation “In his reply the Prime Minister says ‘This is a great tragedy for you. yfiur family and vour friends' It is also a great tragedy for the

probity of public life in Britain.”

The “Daily Telegraph” said: “Mr Profumo is right to resign from public life and to admit that his public assurance that there had been impropriety in his private life nad been untrue and therefore ‘a grave misdemeanour’ . . . “That having been said it is possible to express regre* at the ending of a promising career: and to' take note of a frankness which -was courageous, if belated.” The “Daily Mail” said: “He will cease to bold office as Secretary for War. will lose his seat as an M.P and retire into obscurity. Such is the price demanded of one who swerves from the high standards of integrity which still., fortunately, rule the public life of , this'country.” The “Daily Express” said: “Mr John Profumo takes the only course open to him. The pity is that he did not take it in the first place .

“It may be hard that a man should be crushed and brokep in this way. But the privileges accorded to members of Parliament and Ministers are high. And from them must be exacted, under heavy sanction, a correspondingly high standard of conduct.”

The “Daily Mirror” said: “God knows he was never a good minister: it seems now that he is not a very important man. But there is guilt in many a human heart and skeletons in many cupboards

“The question is: what the hell is going on in this country? All power corrupts . and the Tories have been in power for nearly 12 years. They are certainly enduring their full quota of fallen idols, whited sepulchres and off-white morals.’’ Suspicion of Scandal The “Guardian” said: “There is a nagging suspicion, of course, that there are even- more private scandals in the background. There is nothing the Government can do about this unless they affect the administration of the Civil Service directly.

“If security and the law have not been endangered, the loss of Mr Profumo—who has not, m fact, been one of Mr Macmillan’s greatest successes—may turn out to be the end of the affair.” Political correspondents gauged the effect of the Profumo case on the strength of the Government, which, constitutionally, must hold an election by October, 1964. “Tory morale has had a sickening blow," said a “Daily Express” correspondent. Mr Profumo’s admission was totally without precedent in British political history and a “staggering blow" t< the Prime Minister, said the “Daily Mail” correspondent.

It was the most humiliatin’g political resignation of this century, a “Daily Heralb” writer said. Mr Profumo's , resignation means a by-election at Strat-ford-on-Avon. where in the 1959 General Election he won a 14.000-vote majority over the Labour* candidate Mr James Ramsden. Under-Secretary of State at the War Office will take charge of the War Ministry until a new Minister is appointed after Mr Macmillan returns to London on Monday Mr Profumo relinquishes a salary of £5OOO a year Received Damages

On April 4, Mr Profumo's solicitors in London issued a statement saying that Mr Profumo had given instructions' for the immediate institution of proceedings in France in connexion with an article recently published in ‘ Paris-Match.” and on April 10 in the High Court, he received an apology and agreed damages—which be gave to an Army charity—because of an article which appeared in the Italian magazine “Tempo lllustrato” in their issue on April 6

The settlement was announced of a Libel action brought against Continental Publishers and Distributors, of Southwark street. Southwark, who distribute the magazine in Britain A few days after Mr Profumo’s statement in the House of Commons on March 22, the newspaper distributors W H Smith and Son withdrew all copies of the current edition of the American news magazine. “Time.” from their bookstalls Last month. Mr Nicholas Luard, owner of London’s Establishment night club and of the satirical weekly magazine "Private Eye," told a news conference at the Cannes film festival that he would produce a film called “The Christine Keeler Story,”

He announced he intended to start shooting in a Copenhagen studio on June 17, as a result of a statement by the British Board of Film Censors that it would “not be in the public interest to make the film in Britain.”